Bibliometric Analysis and Comparison of Two STEM LIS Journals: Science & Technology Libraries and Issues in Science & Technology Librarianship (2005–2014)

Abstract

ABSTRACTThe purpose of this article is to present a bibliometric analysis and a comparison of two journals that cover all aspects of STEM librarianship: ISTL (Issues in Science & Technology Librarianship) and STL (Science & Technology Libraries). A recent 10 years of publications were selected to report many variables that describe and compare the bibliometric indicators of the publications and bibliographies. Each issue of these journals published from 2005 to 2014 were carefully examined, and nonresearch articles such as reviews, editorial boards, opinions, and columns were excluded from the study. A total of 338 research articles; 163 from STL and 175 from ISTL, have been analyzed. Findings presented a wide range of data such as subject coverage, nature of authorship, number and format distribution of the bibliographic citations, affiliations of the authors, etc. It is hoped that this bibliometric study will provide a concise review of these two STEM LIS journals as well as in-depth analysis of the research articles being published. The results are particularly relevant to those prospective first-time authors of forthcoming research articles submitted to STL and ISTL.